Static semiconductor memory device capable of reducing precharging power dissipation

ABSTRACT

In a static semiconductor memory device including a plurality of groups of memory cells, a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of bit line pairs, a plurality of transfer gate circuits are provided. Each of the transfer gate circuits is connected between one group of the groups of memory cells and one of the bit line pairs, and is controlled by a voltage at one of the word lines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a static random access memory (SRAM) device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, in an SRAM device which is constructed by flip-flop type memory cells arranged in rows and columns, and a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit line pairs connected to the memory cells, a precharging operation needs to be carried out before an access operation such as a write operation or a read operation is carried out.

In a first prior art SRAM device, one of the word lines is connected to each row of the memory cells, and one of the bit line pairs is connected to each column of the memory cells. This will be explained later in detail.

In the above-mentioned first prior art SRAM device, however, since the number of bit lines is the same as that of columns of the memory cells, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is large. As a result, the power dissipation is increased.

In a second prior art SRAM device, two word lines are connected to each row of the memory cells, and each column of the memory cells is interposed between two adjacent bit lines. In this case, the number of bit lines is the number of columns of the memory cells plus 1. As a result, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is reduced, thus reducing the power dissipation. This will also be explained later in detail.

In the second prior art SRAM device, since the number of bit lines cannot be smaller than that of columns of the memory cells, the reduction of the power dissipation is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to further reduce the power dissipation due to a precharging operation in an SRAM device.

According to the present invention, in a static semiconductor memory device including a plurality of groups of memory cells, a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit line pairs, a plurality of transfer gate circuits are provided. Each of the transfer gate circuits is connected between one group of the groups of memory cells and one of the bit line pairs and is controlled by a voltage at one of the word lines. That is, the number of bit lines is the same as the number of columns of the memory cell divided by the number of memory cells in one group of memory cells. For example, if one group of memory cells is formed by four memory cells, the number of bit lines is one fourth of the number of columns of memory cells.

Thus, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is reduced, which reduces the power dissipation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more clearly understood from the description as set forth below, in comparison with the prior art, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating one SRAM cell;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a first prior art SRAM device;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are timing diagrams showing the operation of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram illustrating a second prior art SRAM device;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the SRAM device according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial detailed circuit diagram of the SRAM device of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7A through 7I are timing diagrams showing the operation of the device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the SRAM device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial detailed circuit diagram of the SRAM device of FIG. 8; and

FIGS. 10A through 10I are timing diagrams showing the operation of the device of FIG. 8.

DESCRITPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the description of the preferred embodiments, prior art SRAM devices will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3A, 3B and 4.

In FIG. 1, which illustrates one SRAM cell, one memory cell M_(ij) is connected to one word line WL_(i) and two complementary bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) . The memory cell M_(ij) includes two inverters I₁ and I₂ forming a flip-flop connected between nodes N₁ and N₂, a transfer gate TG₁ connected between the node N₁ and the bit line BL_(j), and a transfer gate TG₂ connected between the node N₂ and the bit line BL_(j) .

In FIG. 1, assume that the voltages at the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) are high and low, respectively. In this state, when the voltage at the word line WL_(i) is made high to turn ON the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂, the voltages at the nodes N₁ and N₂ are made high and low, respectively, by the voltages at the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) . Thus, data "0"(high level) is written into the memory cell M_(ij).

On the other hand, assume that the voltages at the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) are low and high, the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) are low and high, respectively. In this state, when the voltage at the word line WL_(i) is made high to turn ON the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂, the voltages at the nodes N₁ and N₂ are made low and high, respectively, by the voltages at the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) . Thus, data "1"(low level) is written into the memory cell M_(ij).

Also, after the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) are precharged to a predetermined voltage, when the voltage at the word line WL_(i) is made high, the charges at the nodes N₁ and N₂ flow to the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) , respectively. As a result, the data stored in the memory cell M_(ij) is read out to the bit lines BL_(j) and BL_(j) .

Further, when the voltage at the word line WL_(i) is low, the data of the memory cell M_(ij) is maintained at the memory cell M_(ij).

In FIG. 2, which illustrates a first prior art SRAM device, memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, - - - , M₁₈, M₂₁, M₂₂, - - - , M₂₈ each having the same configuration as illustrated in FIG. 1 are connected to word lines WL₁ and WL₂ and bit lines BL₁, BL₁ , BL₂, BL₂ , - - - , BL₈, BL₈ . For example, the memory cell M₁₁ is connected to the word line WL₁ and the bit lines BL₁, and BL₁ . Also, the bit lines BL₁, BL₁ , BL₂, BL₂ , - - - , BL₈, BL₈ are connected via precharging transistors Q₁₁, Q₁₂, Q₂₁, Q₂₂, - - - , Q₈₁, Q₈₂ to a precharging line PRE whose voltage is V_(cc). The precharging transistors Q₁₁, Q₁₂, Q₂₁, Q₂₂, - - - , Q₈₁, Q₈₂ are turned ON by a precharging signal .o slashed._(PRE).

Also, in FIG. 2, a row decoder DEC1 receives row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A.sbsb.R₂, - - - to select one of the word lines WL₁, WL₂, - - - , and a column decoder DEC2 receives column address signals A.sbsb.c₁, A.sbsb.c₂, - - - to generate one of column selection signals Y₁, Y₂, - - - , thus selecting one pair of the bit lines such as BL₁ and BL₁ . Note that the column selection signal such as Y₁ turns ON column selection transistors (not shown), so that the bit line pair such as BL₁ and BL₁ are connected to data bus lines (not shown).

The operation of the device of FIG. 2 is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. That is, before an access operation such as a write operation or a read operation is carried out by using addresses ADD1, ADD2, - - - as shown in FIG. 3B and defined by the row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A.sbsb.R₂, - - - and the column address signals A.sbsb.c₁, A.sbsb.c₂, - - - , a precharging operation is carried out as shown in FIG. 3A.

In FIG. 2, however, one word line is connected to each memory cell row, and one bit line pair, i.e., two bit lines are connected to each memory cell column. For example, in FIG. 2, sixteen bit lines are charged by each precharging operation. As a result, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is large. This increases the power dissipation.

In FIG. 4, which illustrates a second prior art SRAM device (see: JP-A-60-69891), two word lines WL₁₁ and WL₁₂ are provided instead of the one word line WL₁ of FIG. 2, and two word lines WL₂₁ and WL₂₂ are provided instead of the word line WL₂ of FIG. 2. The memory cells M₁₁, M₁₃, - - - , M₁₇ are connected to the word line WL₁₁, and the memory cells M₁₂, M₁₄, - - - , M₁₈ are connected to the word line WL₁₂. Similarly, the memory cells M₂₁, M₂₃, - - - , M₂₇ are connected to the word line WL₂₁, and the memory cells M₂₂, M₂₄, - - - , M₂₈ are connected to the word line WL₂₂.

Also, only nine bit lines BL₁, BL₂, - - - , BL₉ are provided instead of the sixteen bit lines of FIG. 2, and accordingly, only nine precharging transistors Q₁, Q₂, - - - , Q₉ are provided instead of the sixteen precharging transistors of FIG. 2. In this case, the bit lines BL₂, BL₃, - - - , BL₈ are used commonly for two adjacent memory cell columns.

Also, in FIG. 4, a row decoder DEC1 receives row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A.sbsb.R₂, - - - to select one of the word lines WL₁₁, WL₁₂, - - - , and a column decoder DEC2 receives column address signals A.sbsb.c₁, A.sbsb.c₂, to generate one of column selection signals Y₁, Y₂, - - - , to select one pair of the bit lines such as BL₁ and BL₂.

The operation of the device of FIG. 4 is also shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. That is, before an access operation such as a write operation or a read operation is carried out by using addresses ADD1, ADD2, - - - as shown in FIG. 3B and defined by the row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A_(R).spsb.2, - - - and the column address signals A.sbsb.c₁, A.sbsb.c₂, - - - , a precharging operation is carried out as shown in FIG. 3A.

In FIG. 4, two word lines are connected to each memory cell row, and one bit line is connected to each memory cell column. Precisely, the number of bit lines is the number of memory cell columns plus one. For example, in FIG. 4, nine bit lines are charged by each precharging operation. As a result, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is small. This decreases the power dissipation.

In the device of FIG. 4, however, since the number of bit lines cannot be smaller than that of columns of the memory cells, the reduction of power dissipation is limited.

In FIG. 5, which illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention, one bit line pair such as bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ are provided for two memory cell columns such as a column of the memory cells M₁₁ and M₂₁ and a column of the memory cells M₁₂ and M₂₂. Also, the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, - - - , M₁₈, M₂₁, M₂₂, - - - , M₂₈ are classed in groups each formed by two memory cells. In this case, transfer gates are commonly provided for the memory cells of each group. For example, transfer gates TG₁₁ and TG₁₂ are commonly provided for the memory cells M₁₁ and M₁₂, and are connected between the group of the memory cells M₁₁ and M₁₂ and the bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ . The transfer gates TG₁₁ and TG₁₂ are controlled by the voltage at the word line WL₁.

Also, in FIG. 5, a row decoder DEC1 receives row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A.sbsb.R₂, - - - to select one of the word lines WL₁, WL₂, - - - . A column decoder DEC2-1 receives a column address signal A.sbsb.c₁ to generate one of column selection signals Y₁ and Y₂, thus selecting one memory cell from each of the memory cell groups. A column decoder DEC2-2 receives column address signals A.sbsb.c₂, A_(c).spsb.3, - - - to generate one of column selection signals Y₃, Y₄, - - - , thus selecting one pair of the bit lines such as BL₁ and BL₁ .

In FIG. 5, only the eight bit lines BL₁, BL₁ , BL₂, BL₂ , - - - , BL₄, BL₄ are provided, and accordingly, only eight precharging transistors Q₁₁, Q₁₂, Q₁₃, Q₁₄, - - - , Q₁₇ and Q₁₈ are provided.

In FIG. 6, which is a partial detailed circuit diagram of the memory cell M₁₁ and M₁₂ of FIG. 5, each of the memory cells M₁₁ and M₁₂ has the same configuration as the memory cell of FIG. 1. However, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₁₁ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₁, not by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Similarly, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₁₂ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₂, not by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Also, the memory cells M₁₁ and M₁₂ are connected to the bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ via the transfer gates TG₁₁ and TG₁₂ controlled by the voltage at the word line WL₁.

The operation of the device of FIG. 5 is shown in FIGS. 7A through 7I. That is, as shown in FIG. 7A, before an access operation such as a write operation or a read operation is carried out, a precharging operation is carried out.

For example, if WL₁ ="1", WL₂ ="0", Y₁ ="1", Y₂ ="0", Y₃ ="1" and Y₄ =Y₅ =Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₁₁ is accessed. If WL₁ ="0", WL₂ ="1", Y₁ ="1", Y₂ ="0", Y₃ ="1" and Y₄ =Y₅ =Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₂₁ is accessed. If WL₁ ="1", WL₂ ="0", Y₁ ="0", Y₂ ="1", Y₃ ="0", Y₄ ="1" and Y₅ =Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₁₃ is accessed. If WL₁ ="0", WL₂ ="1", Y₁ ="0", Y₂ ="1", Y₃ ="0", Y₄ ="1" and Y₅ =Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₂₄ is accessed.

In FIG. 5, one word line is connected to each memory cell row, and one bit line is connected to each memory cell column. For example, in FIG. 5, eight bit lines are charged by each precharging operation. As a result, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is smaller as compared with the second prior art device. This further decreases the power dissipation.

In FIG. 8, which illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, one bit line pair such as bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ are provided for four memory cell columns such as a column of the memory cells M₁₁ and M₂₁, a column of the memory cells M₁₂ and M₂₂, a column of the memory cells M₁₃ and M₂₃, and a column of the memory cells M₁₄ and M₂₄. Also, the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, - - - , M₁₈, M₂₁, M₂₂, - - - , M₂₈ are classed in groups each formed by four memory cells. In this case, transfer gates are commonly provided for the memory cells of each group. For example, transfer gates TG₁₁ and TG₁₂ are commonly provided for the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, M₁₃ and M₁₄, and are connected between the group of the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, M₁₃ and M₁₄ and the bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ . The transfer gates TG₁₁ and TG₁₂ are controlled by the voltage at the word line WL₁.

Also, in FIG. 8, a row decoder DEC1 receives row address signals A.sbsb.R₁, A.sbsb.R₂, - - - to select one of the word lines WL₁, WL₂, - - - . A column decoder DEC2-1 receives column address signals A.sbsb.c₁ and A.sbsb.c₂ to generate one of column selection signals Y₁, Y₂, Y₃ and Y₄, thus selecting one memory cell from each of the memory cell groups. A column decoder DEC2-2 receives column address signals A_(c).spsb.3, A_(c).spsb.4, to generate one of column selection signals Y₅, Y₆, - - - , thus selecting one pair of the bit lines such as BL₁ and BL₁ .

In FIG. 8, only the four bit lines BL₁, BL₁ , BL₂ and BL₂ are provided, and accordingly, only four recharging transistors Q₁, Q₂, Q₃ and Q₄ are provided.

In FIG. 9, which is a partial detailed circuit diagram of the memory cell M₁₁, M₁₂, M₁₃ and M₁₄ of FIG. 8, each of the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, M₁₃ and M₁₄ has the same configuration as the memory cell of FIG. 1. However, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₁₁ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₁, not by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Similarly, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₁₂ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₂, not by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Also, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₃ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₃, not by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Similarly, the transfer gates TG₁ and TG₂ of the memory cell M₁₄ are controlled by the column selection signal Y₄, riot by the voltage at the word line WL₁. Also, the memory cells M₁₁, M₁₂, M₁₃ and M₁₄ are connected to the bit lines BL₁ and BL₁ via the transfer gates TG₁₁ TG₁₂ controlled by the voltage at the word line WL₁.

The operation of the device of FIG. 8 is shown in FIGS. 10A through 10I. That is, as shown in FIG. 10A, before an access operation such as a write operation or a read operation is carried out, a precharging operation is carried out.

For example, if WL₁ ="1", WL₂ ="0", Y₁ ="1", Y₂ ="0", Y₃ =Y₄ ="0", Y₅ ="1" and Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₁₁ is accessed. If WL₁ ="0", WL₂ ="1", Y₁ ="1", Y₂ =Y₃ =Y₄ ="0", Y₅ ="1" and Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₂₁ is accessed. If WL₁ ="1", WL₂ ="0", Y₁ ="0", Y₂ ="0", Y₃ =Y₄ =Y₅ ="0", Y₆ ="0", the memory cell M₁₆ is accessed. If WL₁ ="0", WL₂ ="1", Y₁ ="0", Y₂ ="1", Y₃ =Y₄ =Y₅ ="0" and Y₆ ="1", the memory cell M₂₆ is accessed.

In FIG. 8, one word line is connected to each memory cell row, and one bit line is connected to each two memory cell columns. For example, in FIG. 8, four bit lines are charged by each precharging operation. As a result, the number of bit lines precharged by each precharging operation is much smaller as compared with the second prior art device. This further decreases the power dissipation. Note that the power dissipation in the second embodiment can be reduced to about half of that in the first embodiment.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, if an address is defined by the row address signals as lower bits and by the column address signals as upper bits, when this address is sequentially changed, the power dissipation can be minimal, since the transitions of the column address signals is reduced.

As explained hereinabove, according to the present invention, since the number of bit lines precharged by one precharging operation is reduced without substantially reducing the integration, the power dissipation can be reduced. 

I claim:
 1. A static semiconductor memory device comprising:a plurality of groups of memory cells, with each group of memory cells comprising a plurality of memory cells; a plurality of word lines; a plurality of bit line pairs; a plurality of transfer gate means, each connected between one group of said groups of memory cells and one of said bit line pairs, each of said transfer gate means being controlled by a voltage at one of said word lines; a first selecting means, connected to said word lines, for selecting one of said word lines; a second selecting means, connected to said memory cells, for selecting one memory cell from the plurality of memory cells in each of said group of memory cells; and a third selecting means, connected to said bit line pairs, for selecting one pair of said plurality of bit line pairs.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said memory cells comprises:first and second nodes; a first inverter having an input connected to said second node and an output connected to said first node; a second inverter having an input connected to said first node and an output connected to said second node; a first transfer gate connected between said first node and one of said transfer gate means; and a second transfer gate connected between said second node and one of said transfer gate means.
 3. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of precharging circuits each connected to one bit line of said bit line pairs.
 4. A static semiconductor memory device comprising:a plurality of memory cells in rows and columns; a plurality of word lines, each word line provided for one row of said memory cells; a plurality of bit line pairs, each bit line pair provided for a plurality of columns of said memory cells; a plurality of transfer gate means, each transfer gate means being connected between a row of said plurality of columns of memory cells and one of said bit line pairs, each of said transfer gate means being controlled by a voltage at one of said word lines.
 5. The device as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:a first selecting means, connected to said word lines, for selecting one of said word lines; a second selecting means, connected to said memory cells, for selecting one memory cell column from each of said plurality of columns memory cells; and a third selecting means, connected to said bit line pairs, for selecting one pair of said plurality of bit line pairs.
 6. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said memory cells comprises:first and second nodes; a first inverter having an input connected to said second node and an output connected to said first node; a second inverter having an input connected to said first node and an output connected to said second node; a first transfer gate connected between said first node and one of said transfer gate means; and a second transfer gate connected between said second node and one of said transfer gate means.
 7. The device as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of precharging circuits each connected to one bit line of said bit line pairs. 